Olympic Games 2004

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the findings of the Olympic Advisory Group on security planning, intelligence exchanges and security training in Athens.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The UK is one member of the Olympic Advisory Group, which was set up in 2000 at the request of the Greek Government, to advise on an ongoing basis on security preparations for the Olympic Games. The other members are the US, Australia, France, Spain, Germany and Israel.
	The UK, on a national basis, is satisfied that Greece is working hard towards the goal of ensuring that the Games take place in a safe and secure environment and that Greece will continue to do so in the time remaining before the Games start and for the duration of the Games themselves.
	For reasons I am sure will be appreciated, we do not comment in detail on security matters or on the work and advice of the group. I am therefore withholding this information under Exemption 1(a) of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which covers information whose disclosure would harm national security.

Regional Assemblies

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the cost of compilation, production and distribution of the booklet, A New Opportunity for the North West–Elected Regional Assembly–Your Say, issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Lord Rooker: To date 722,630 copies of the booklet A New Opportunity for the North West have been produced at a total cost of £46,448, of which the compilation costs were £2,917, the print and production costs were £35,979 and the distribution costs were £7,552. The distribution sum covered the costs on the insertion of 551,430 leaflets in free newspapers across the North West region.

Regional Assemblies

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the booklet, A New Opportunity for the North West–Elected Regional Assembly–Your Say, issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, is intended to provide an impartial explanation of the Government's proposals, including arguments for and against voting for the Assemblies in the referendum later this year.

Lord Rooker: The purpose of A New Opportunity for the North West is to provide voters in the North West with information on the proposed powers of an elected regional assembly and why the Government believe that it would benefit the North West.
	The photographs in the leaflet show an equal number of people saying yes and no to these proposals.

Church of England: Appointment of Deans

Lord Mayhew of Twysden: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to reform the nomination system for the deans of Church of England cathedrals.

Lord Filkin: Systems of appointment are kept under review but we have no current plans to change the Crown system for nominating deans. Appointments to a number of deaneries, of course, are a matter for other patrons.

Cohabitation Awareness Campaign

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their estimate of the number of marriages likely to result from the Government's information campaign about the lack of sufficient protection for unmarried opposite sex couples between now and the likely date of coming into force of the Civil Partnership Act.

Lord Filkin: The Government have made no estimate of the number of marriages that may result from the cohabitation awareness campaign. The campaign aims to increase awareness of the different legal rights and responsibilities that apply to cohabiting and married couples. The purpose of the campaign is to make accurate and accessible information available to the public, through both web-based and printed materials, that will help couples to make informed decisions.

Food Supplements Directive

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the outcome of the telephone conversation between the Minister for Public Health and Commissioner Byrne on 12 March in relation to the Food Supplements Directive; and whether a date has been set for a meeting between the Minister and the Commissioner to take forward further discussions.

Lord Warner: Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements came into force on 12 July 2002. The Food Supplements Regulations England 2003, which implement the Directive in England, were laid before Parliament in June 2003 and the provisions are set to come into force on 1 August 2005. There is parallel legislation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
	In October 2003 the Minister for Public Health (Miss Melanie Johnson), had a useful meeting with representatives of the health food industry to discuss their concerns over the potential impact of the directive, particularly relating to the submission of safety dossiers to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and to the future setting of European maximum levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements.
	Since then there has been a constructive meeting, facilitated by the Food Standards Agency, between industry representatives and representatives of the EFSA to discuss safety dossiers.
	In addition, the Minister for Public Health recently set out the Government's views on the setting of maximum limits to Commissioner David Byrne. EFSA is continuing work on safe upper limits for intakes of vitamins and minerals begun by the Scientific Committee on Food. It is not expected to complete this work until Summer 2005 at the earliest. The Commission will not publish a proposal on EU maximum limits until this work is complete. Commissioner Byrne and the Minister for Public Health agreed to talk again when EFSA's advice has been published and, if appropriate, meet. In the mean time, officials continue to press the case for safety based maximum limits in all the relevant European fora. They are also keeping in close contact with the Commission officials who will in due course draft the proposal on EU maximum limits. The Minister for Public Health has asked for progress reports.
	The Minister for Public Health is willing to meet again with food supplement industry representatives. However, she has suggested to the industry that before such a meeting takes place it would be useful for industry technical advisers to meet Food Standards Agency officials to discuss detailed technical issues relating to dossiers and then for the industry to gain experience of submitting such dossiers to EFSA.

National Health Service: Cost Efficiency

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish their new measures of National Health Service cost efficiency growth, as set out in paragraph 7.99 of the Department of Health's Departmental Report 2004; and
	What consultation they intend to undertake in relation to any changes in the measurement of National Health Service cost efficiency.

Lord Warner: In December 2003, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced the Atkinson review of measurement of government output. Undertaken by Sir Tony Atkinson, the review is to advance methodologies for the measurement of government output, productivity and associated price indices.
	The Department of Health is working with the ONS, as part of the Atkinson review, to develop new measures of National Health Service productivity. The results of this work will be published as part of the Atkinson review of measurement of government output.
	The Department has already consulted with both the NHS and a number of prominent academics regarding new productivity measures. In addition Sir Tony Atkinson is consulting with stakeholders before writing his interim report in July 2004.

Mental Health: Ethnic Minorities

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What consideration they are giving to the finding of the National Association for Mental Health's new report Not Alone? Isolation and Mental Distress that people with mental health problems in the black and ethnic minority communities are significantly more at risk of isolation and discrimination than others; and what action they are taking on the report's recommendations.

Lord Warner: The Department of Health welcomes the National Association for Mental Health's recommendations which are being considered as part of the department's agenda to improve mental health services for everyone including people from black and ethnic minority communities with mental health problems.
	The department is currently engaged in a number of initiatives that specifically link in with the National Association for Mental Health's findings in relation to people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. These include:
	80 community engagement projects;
	500 community development workers by 2006;
	a census of service users so changes can be monitored;
	recruiting nine senior regional equality leads in the National Institute for Mental Health in England to support and assist local services development;
	consulting with asylum seekers on the specific need they have of mental health services; and
	developing work to look at pathways to care and suicide prevention.
	In addition, we have recently consulted on Delivering Race Equality: A Framework for Action, which sets out what planning, delivering and monitoring local primary care and mental health services need to do to improve services for users experiencing mental illness and distress, and their relatives and carers, from black and minority ethnic communities. The final report will be published this summer.
	We also look forward to the report of the Social Exclusion Unit due for publication next month which will highlight the issues, and the action that could be taken to strengthen support for people with mental health problems.

Website Accessibility Guidelines

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What consideration they have given to the Disability Rights Commission's finding that 81 per cent of websites do not meet the basic website accessibility guidelines, thus limiting equal access to online services and employment opportunities for disabled people; and what action they are taking.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The Disability Rights Commission published its formal investigation, The Web: Access and Inclusion for Disabled People on April 14. In the research, 1,000 websites were tested for full accessibility and 808 failed to meet the minimum standards for disabled web access.
	The report made 15 recommendations aimed at various organisations, including government, the web industry, business and disability organisations aimed at enhancing access to the web for disabled people.
	We are currently working with the Disability Rights Commission to progress the seven recommendations that fall to Government.

Sulphuric Acid

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many incidents involving sulphuric acid when used as a potato haulm dessicant have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive since 31 March 2003; how many were investigated by HSE inspectors; how many individuals were involved in the incidents; and what symptoms were reported where ill health was alleged.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: Five incidents involving allegations of ill health resulting from exposure to sulphuric acid applied to potato haulms have been reported to and investigated by the Field Operations Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive since 1 April 2003. A total of eight people complained about a variety of symptoms including burning lips, breathlessness, sore throats and coughing, sore and streaming eyes, headaches and tightness in the chest.
	A further 11 incidents involving sulphuric acid were reported to and investigated by the Field Operations Directorate during the same period in which there were no allegations of ill health resulting from exposure.

A23: Fatal Accident

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Following the accident on the A23 on 16 May, whether any of those killed or injured were "at work" as defined by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974; and, if so, what action the Health and Safety Executive will take to investigate non-compliance with the Act and bring charges.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The accident is subject to an ongoing police investigation. It would not be appropriate to comment at this time.

Pensions

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why they expect the Chatsworth Settlement Estate Pension Scheme to be exempt from payment of the initial levy and the pension protection levies to the proposed pension protection fund.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The pension protection fund will protect members of eligible defined benefit and hybrid pension schemes who may otherwise lose some or all of their pension entitlement should their sponsoring employer become insolvent. Those schemes eligible for PPF assistance will be liable to pay the pension protection levies.
	However, we expect that those schemes which will be exempt from the new scheme funding requirements will not be eligible for assistance from the PPF. Broadly speaking this is because the existing framework for these schemes already provides a high level of security.
	In the main, those schemes which will be exempted from the new scheme funding requirements will be those schemes currently exempt from the minimum funding requirement (MFR). We will check that it remains appropriate to exempt them before the relevant regulations are made. The Chatsworth Settlement Estate Pension Scheme is exempt from the MFR because the structure of the trust means that pension beneficiaries would be able to call on the entire assets of the trust, where necessary, to fund their pensions. This provides a higher level of security than the MFR.

Pensions

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What would be the total annual financial cost if the Civil Partnership Bill were amended so as to backdate to 1988 (the date applicable to surviving widowers) survivor pension benefits for civil partners in private sector schemes; and what is the basis of each element in that calculation.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The annual costs of providing survivors benefits for civil partners in respect of future service of scheme members in private sector pension schemes are provided in the final regulatory impact assessment (RIA) to the Civil Partnership Bill, published on 31 March 2004. These costs were assessed on two separate assumptions as to future take up of civil partnerships, as set out in Annex A of the RIA and are shown in the table below.
	The table also shows the additional one-off costs if service for such pensions accrued from April 1988 or the date the member joined the scheme, if later. The benefits costed are those which would be required to be paid by contracted-out defined benefit schemes. It is assumed there would be no additional cost for private sector defined contribution schemes.
	
		Costs of extending survivor benefits to civil partners in contracted-out defined benefit private pension schemes
		
			   Annual cost of benefits accruing 
			   from commencement of the   Civil Partnership Bill 
			   One-off costs if benefits accrued from 1988 
			  Annual cost increase as % of contributions Annual increase £m pa £m 
			 
			 High take-up 0.016% £2.5m £20 
			 Low take-up 0.008% £1.25m £40 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data from the 2000 Government Actuary's Department survey of occupational pension schemes suggest that it would be reasonable to assume that ¾ of private sector defined benefit schemes already offer benefits to same-sex couples, albeit at the trustees' discretion. Using this assumption, the annual costs for future accrual are based on the additional contributions that would need to be paid.
	2. Under the high take-up scenario, the Government Actuary's Department assumes that, by 2050, 6 per cent of the lesbian, gay and bisexual population aged around 70 who are retired with occupational pensions will be in civil partnerships (the proportions around age 70 being a key driver in determining the cost of benefits to spouses/partners on death). This figure is broadly consistent with the assumption that, overall, around 3.3 per cent of the lesbian, gay and bisexual population aged 16 and over will be in civil partnerships, as compared to around 33 per cent of the heterosexual population aged 16 and over who would be married.
	3. Further information on the assumptions for the take-up of civil partnerships are included in Annex A of the regulatory impact assessment published with the Civil Partnership Bill.

Pensions

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proportion, on average, of the benefits provided to each individual by the proposed pension protection fund they expect the £400 million assistance scheme announced on 14 May will provide.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The level of assistance that can be provided will be determined in due course. It will depend on a number of factors:
	the final size of the fund—the level of any industry contribution will affect this;
	the method of providing assistance—we are examining the various options;
	the number of people affected—we are finalising our estimates of this and will publish them in June.
	We expect to provide a significant level of help, although it is unrealistic to expect the assistance to be set as high as the future pension protection fund levels, as in future members will benefit from cover paid for by a premium.

Pensions

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether surviving spouses of marriages entered into between now and the coming into force of the Civil Partnership Act will be entitled to backdate survivor pension benefits in public service schemes to 1988; and, if so, what is their estimate of the total, increased annual financial cost of such backdating, calculated by reference to each 10,000 such new marriages.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Surviving spouses of marriages entered into between now and the coming into force of the Civil Partnership Act will be entitled to spouse's benefits from public service schemes at least back to 5 April 1988 at the level required for contracting out of the state scheme. Prior to 1988 contracting-out required survivor pensions only for widows of male scheme members and the requirement for widower pensions was not made retrospective. The provision for survivors of marriage is already taken into account in the costing of these schemes. The estimates requested do not exist and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Sport: Foster Review

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to merge United Kingdom Sport and Sport England to avoid the "duplication of effort and inconsistency" between the two bodies as highlighted by the Foster report into athletics.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: There is no intention to merge UK Sport and Sport England in light of the Foster review. The report specifically relates to athletics and proposes that UK Sport and Sport England "should form a senior joint Athletics Team" to reduce duplication of effort and increase consistency in athletics. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is looking forward to working with all interested partners on this recommendation, and the other findings of the report.

Sport: Foster Review

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the streamlining in current sport bureaucracy analysed in the Foster report is consistent with the establishment of Regional Sports Boards.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The establishment of Regional Sports Boards in England is a result of Game Plan 's recommendation that Sport England should reduce bureaucracy and become more customer focused. From April 2004, decision making on funding at regional level has been devolved to Regional Sports Boards, thereby considerably reducing Sport England's central administration. Similarly, the Foster report recommendation about creating a new organisation for athletics in England with a streamlined central office, and with decision-making powers devolved as far as possible, is entirely consistent with the establishment of the Regional Sports Boards.

Olympic Games 2012: London Bid

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they intend to take in view of the conclusion of the International Olympic Committee candidature acceptance working party report that in London "rail public transport is often obsolete and considerable investments must be made to upgrade the existing system in terms of capacity and safety".

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The International Olympic Committee recognised that London already has one of the world's most extensive rail and underground networks. Considerable investment in London's transport infrastructure will bring significant improvements by 2012. Over £17 billion of public money has been allocated to improve transport in London between now and 2012, including £1 billion each year until 2010 which is being invested to improve London Underground and deliver better services and greater capacity. By 2012, the proposed Olympic Park in Stratford will be served by 10 railway lines, including the new high-speed Channel Tunnel Rail link into St Pancras.

Efficiency Review

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Pursuant to the efficiency review undertaken by Sir Peter Gershon, whether Sir Peter or the Office of Government Commerce submitted a report by 26 April on the potential for departmental savings; and, if not, whether a report has been received subsequently; and
	Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of any reports they have received in connection with Sir Peter Gershon's efficiency review.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Sir Peter Gershon continues to work closely with all departments to prepare detailed efficiency proposals for consideration in the 2004 spending review. A further announcement will be made at the spending review.

National Parks

Earl Peel: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they plan to take to investigate the adverse effects on residents, visitors and livestock from speeding by motorcyclists in the North Yorkshire Moors and the Yorkshire Dales National Parks.

Lord Whitty: Both the National Park authorities referred to are aware that there are problems on some roads in the National Parks. However, it is the local highway authority that is solely responsible for setting speed limits on its roads, in this case North Yorkshire County Council, while enforcement of the limit is a matter for the police. Both the National Park authorities are liaising closely with the police and the highway authority to investigate the issues and identify possible solutions.

Foot and Mouth Disease

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 6 May (WA 134), what proportion of each of the 28 claims outstanding following the foot and mouth disease outbreak is in dispute.

Lord Whitty: The proportion of each contractor account in dispute varies from account to account depending on the mix of evidential, quantum, accounting and legal issues arising in each dispute. The department does not comment on disputes that are, or may be, the subject of litigation, alternative disputes resolution procedures, forensic examination or formal investigation.

Foot and Mouth Disease

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 6 May (WA 134), who are the 28 contractors still in dispute with the department following the foot and mouth disease outbreak; and which of them are farmers or involved in farming.

Lord Whitty: It is neither appropriate nor fair to identify the names of contractors with whom the department is in dispute given that these are ongoing disputes, which are being concluded through litigation or alternative disputes resolution procedures. Although some contractors and their representatives have sought to publicise their disputes through the media for reasons unknown to the department, others have chosen not to do so and no useful purpose is likely to be served by the identity of contractors being divulged in these circumstances. From information held centrally, none of the contractors with whom Defra is in dispute appears to have farming as their primary business activity. All of the contractors, to either a greater or lesser degree, have supplied services to the farming sector since the start of the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001.

Foot and Mouth Disease

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 6 May (WA 134), whether any part of the total disputed £55.4 million following the foot and mouth disease outbreak is due to be paid to the Government by the European Union; and whether the disputes may adversely affect that sum.

Lord Whitty: No part of the total disputed £55.4 million following the foot and mouth disease outbreak is due to be paid to the Government by the European Union. The claim to the European Union relates to invoices which are not in dispute and accordingly the disputes do not adversely affect sums payable by the European Union.

Foot and Mouth Disease

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 6 May (WA 134), whether the disputes over the charges claimed by contractors following the foot and mouth disease outbreak have resulted in the withholding of any moneys; if so, how much; and whether there is a deadline by which they have to be paid.

Lord Whitty: The disputes over the charges claimed by contractors following the foot and mouth disease outbreak have resulted in the withholding of some £55.4 million from contractors. There is no deadline for payment of the moneys withheld since they are disputes where Defra has been advised in each case that the retention is justified fully on any or all of legal, accounting and quantum grounds.

Open Access Rights

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are confident that open access to private land will be clearly signed by September 2004 for the use of members of the public.

Lord Whitty: The Government are working on a wide-ranging strategy to ensure that members of the public will be well informed about where the right of access introduced by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 applies when the first two regions, the South East and lower North West, open for access on 19 September.
	As part of this strategy, the Countryside Agency will very shortly be issuing guidance to access authorities and land managers on the use of signs. The guidance will give access authorities the lead role in erecting and maintaining signs to show where open access rights exist and will encourage them to consult widely with land managers, local access forums and other interested parties in drawing up their plans.
	New signs will not be needed in every case and the guidance will advocate careful thought about whether additional signage is appropriate. The Government have allocated £2 million for 2004–05 towards an access management grant scheme, to be administered by the Countryside Agency, which will help authorities to meet the cost of providing signs. Interim guidance about how the scheme will work has been available since April this year and final guidance will be issued by the Countryside Agency in early June.
	The Countryside Agency has already held two workshops attended by access authorities in the South East and lower North West to promote the scheme and plans to hold a further series of meetings with land managers in these areas in partnership with the Country Land and Business Association later this year.

Illegal Meat Trade

Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What support and guidance are available from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Food Standards Agency to enable local authorities to prosecute following seizures of illegal meat.

Lord Whitty: The Food Standards Agency makes available a range of technical and practical support to local authorities, and has also given financial assistance to individual local authorities to help fund their investigations into the illegal meat trade.

Illegal Food Imports: Testing

Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 23 February (WA 38) on laboratory testing of illegal meat, how they assess the likelihood that illegal meat imports carry diseases or viruses.

Lord Whitty: The endemic nature of diseases and viruses in many countries around the world results in a continuous but low risk of infected meat reaching the country through illegal routes. This means that all such seizures are treated as an animal health risk and destroyed, by incineration, in the shortest possible time.
	The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs produces Qualitative Risk Assessments following novel disease outbreaks overseas to assess the level of risk associated with particular meat or meat products, whether legally or illegally imported.
	In addition we commissioned the Veterinary Laboratories Agency's "Risk Assessment for the Import of Meat and Meat Products Contaminated with Foot and Mouth Disease Virus into Great Britain and the Subsequent Exposure of GB Livestock" that was published as a work in progress in March 2003. The VLA have re-run this assessment taking into account of additional data, as well as producing similar assessments for three pig diseases—African Swine Fever, Classical Swine Fever and Swine Vesicular Disease. These assessments will be published in the summer.

South Eastern Trains

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the estimated total cost to the Strategic Rail Authority of the South Eastern Train franchise in the financial years 2003–04 and 2002–03.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Strategic Rail Authority made net cash payments to Connex South Eastern (CSE) of £37.233 million in 2002–03. In 2003–04 net cash payments of £75.851 million were made to CSE and £41.725 million to South Eastern Trains, which took over the franchise on 9 November 2003.

Road Haulage Modernisation Fund

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the annual budget of the road freight modernisation fund; and how much was spent in each year of its existence.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Road Haulage Modernisation Fund (RHMF) was announced in the 2000 Pre-Budget Report as a three year, £100 million UK-wide, ring-fenced fund. No annual budget was set at the time.
	The Department for Transport has spent the following on the RHMF in England:
	2001–02 £6.07 million
	2002–03 £8.61 million
	2003–04 £14.57 million
	Schemes under the fund for England were worked up with the industry through the Road Haulage Forum. Spend was dependent on industry demand for fund schemes.
	The Road Haulage Modernisation Fund ended in March this year for England. But a new £3 million package was announced in this year's budget to allow successful projects under the fund to continue in 2004–05.